4 Best Restaurants in Cajamarca, The North Coast and Northern Highlands

La Chanita

$

In one corner of the Mercado Central, amid stalls selling charqui (dehydrated meat) and rainbow-colored displays of quinoa, you'll find a lunchtime crowd of people lining up for cebiche frito, a locally famous fried version of cebiche. The fish here comes battered and topped with a spicy mayo, along with leche de tigre and all the usual cebiche fixings. Patience here is key: remember that authentic local traditions are sometimes worth the wait.

Peruvian Lunch Quick Bite $
Jr. Apurimac and Jr. Amazonas, Cajamarca, Cajamarca, Peru
No phone
Known For
  • imaginative take on a Peruvian classic
  • bustling market setting
  • opportunity to dine with real Cajamarcans
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No dinner

Paprika

$$
Situated in the Wyndham Costa del Sol Hotel, this graceful, white-tablecloth affair serves up better-than-average versions of Peruvian and international classics. The menu rotates, but the quality of the pastas, seafood, and desserts is reliably consistent. Try the anticuchos or arroz con pato.

Pez Loco

$
Surf and turf, Peruvian style, is the focus at this down-to-earth joint that's half cebichería, half parrilla. No bells and whistles here, just top-quality steaks, cebiches (try the mixto), and seafood classics like arroz con mariscos. The prices are a steal for food this good.
Seafood Lunch Dinner $
Jr. Cruz de Piedra 631, Cajamarca, Cajamarca, Peru
076-361–806
Known For
  • grilled entrées
  • seafood far from the coast
  • hearty portions

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Salas

$

On the Plaza de Armas, this is the place to get no-frills, typical food from the region. The menu includes authentic regional specialties such as cuy, perico (a lake fish), and Spanish-style tortillas. There's also an extensive selection of piscos, top-shelf liquors, and wines. Although the furnishings and staff look like they have been there since the restaurant opened in 1947, the food is fresh and delicious.

Peruvian Breakfast Lunch Dinner $
Av. Puga 637, Cajamarca, Cajamarca, Peru
076-362–867
Known For
  • cheap daily specials
  • lively, social atmosphere
  • local color and tradition
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted